SUISUN MARSH PROTECTION PLAN: POLICY REVIEWRACHEL D. WIGGINTON, PHDCOASTAL SCIENTIST

2

OUTLINE- Unique value of Suisun Marsh- The Commission’s authority in

Suisun Marsh- Results of the Local Protection

Program review- Kick-off of the Protection Plan

review- Next steps

View of Denverton Pond ©Denise Colombano

3

UNIQUE VALUE OF SUISUN MARSH & THE COMMISSION’S AUTHORITY

Map showing BCDC’s jurisdiction ©Google Earth

BCDC’S SUISUN MARSH LAW AND POLICIES

4

Suisun Marsh Preservation Act of 1977 (Marsh Act)

5

MARSH ACT GENERAL PROVISIONSLegislative Findings and Declarations (§29002)

• The marsh "...plays an important role in providing wintering habitat for waterfowl of the Pacific Flyway; that during years of drought the area becomes particularly important..."

• The marsh "...provides critical habitat for other wildlife forms, including such endangered, rare, or unique species..."

• "...that the existence of this wide variety of wildlife is due to the relatively large expanse of unbroken native habitat and the diversity of vegetation and aquatic conditions that prevail in the marsh..."

• "...that man is an integral part of the present marsh ecosystem and..."• "...represents a unique and irreplaceable resource to the people of the state and nation..."• "...future residential, commercial, and industrial developments could adversely affect the

wildlife value..."• "...it is the policy of the state to preserve and protect resources of this nature for the

enjoyment of the current and succeeding generations."

Note: bullets and emphasis addedMay 5, 2020

6

A CRITICAL LOCATION FOR HABITAT PRESERVATION

Endangered Endangered Successful Recovery Endangered

Endangered Invasive Special ConcernSpecial Concern

©USFWS Pacific Southwest Region

©Rachel Wigginton

©Denise Colombano

©USFWS Pacific Southwest Region©Katie Smith ©USFWS Pacific Southwest Region

©Hildie Spautz©William Thein

7

MARSH ACT GENERAL PROVISIONSLegislative Findings and Declarations (§29002)

• The marsh "...plays an important role in providing wintering habitat for waterfowl of the Pacific Flyway; that during years of drought the area becomes particularly important..."

• The marsh "...provides critical habitat for other wildlife forms, including such endangered, rare, or unique species..."

• "...that the existence of this wide variety of wildlife is due to the relatively large expanse of unbroken native habitat and the diversity of vegetation and aquatic conditions that prevail in the marsh..."

• "...that man is an integral part of the present marsh ecosystem and..."• "...represents a unique and irreplaceable resource to the people of the state and nation..."• "...future residential, commercial, and industrial developments could adversely affect the

wildlife value..."• "...it is the policy of the state to preserve and protect resources of this nature for the

enjoyment of the current and succeeding generations."

Note: bullets and emphasis addedMay 5, 2020

8

UNIQUE VALUE OF SUISUN MARSH

• Situated between the Sacramento-San Juaquin Delta and the San Francisco Bay

• Largest brackish marsh on the west coast of the United States

• Variable ecological conditions

Map from Kimmerer et al. (2013) showing salinity variation across Suisun Bay, with warmer color representing higher salinity and cooler colors representing lower salinity areas

9

MARSH ACT GENERAL PROVISIONSLegislative Findings and Declarations (§29002)

• The marsh "...plays an important role in providing wintering habitat for waterfowl of the Pacific Flyway; that during years of drought the area becomes particularly important..."

• The marsh "...provides critical habitat for other wildlife forms, including such endangered, rare, or unique species..."

• "...that the existence of this wide variety of wildlife is due to the relatively large expanse of unbroken native habitat and the diversity of vegetation and aquatic conditions that prevail in the marsh..."

• "...that man is an integral part of the present marsh ecosystem and..."• "...represents a unique and irreplaceable resource to the people of the state and nation..."• "...future residential, commercial, and industrial developments could adversely affect the

wildlife value..."• "...it is the policy of the state to preserve and protect resources of this nature for the

enjoyment of the current and succeeding generations."

Note: bullets and emphasis addedMay 5, 2020

10

UNIQUE VALUE OF SUISUN MARSH

• Dominated by managed wetlands• Infrastructure used to control flow

of water on and off the marsh• Hunting heritage has been a critical

factor in habitat preservation

Map showing the boundaries of the managed wetlands in the Suisun Marsh (white), the Primary Management Area (green), and the Secondary Management Area (pink)

©BCDC

11

UNIQUE VALUE OF SUISUN MARSH

• Dominated by managed wetlands• Infrastructure used to control flow

of water on and off the marsh• Hunting heritage has been a critical

factor in habitat preservation

A water control structure being used to flood a managed wetland

©Melissa Riley

12

UNIQUE VALUE OF SUISUN MARSH

• Dominated by managed wetlands• Infrastructure used to control flow

of water on and off the marsh• Hunting heritage has been a critical

factor in habitat preservation

A very good dog retrieving a duck for a hunter©Mike Casazza

13

MARSH ACT GENERAL PROVISIONSLegislative Findings and Declarations (§29002)

• The marsh "...plays an important role in providing wintering habitat for waterfowl of the Pacific Flyway; that during years of drought the area becomes particularly important..."

• The marsh "...provides critical habitat for other wildlife forms, including such endangered, rare, or unique species..."

• "...that the existence of this wide variety of wildlife is due to the relatively large expanse of unbroken native habitat and the diversity of vegetation and aquatic conditions that prevail in the marsh..."

• "...that man is an integral part of the present marsh ecosystem and..."• "...represents a unique and irreplaceable resource to the people of the state and nation..."• "...future residential, commercial, and industrial developments could adversely affect the

wildlife value..."• "...it is the policy of the state to preserve and protect resources of this nature for the

enjoyment of the current and succeeding generations."

Note: bullets and emphasis addedMay 5, 2020

14

BCDC’S SUISUN MARSH LAW AND POLICIES

Suisun Marsh Preservation Act of 1977 (Marsh Act)

Suisun Marsh Protection Plan of 1976 (Protection Plan)

SUISUN MARSH PROTECTION PLAN OF 1976

“The objectives of the Protection Plan are to preserve and enhance the quality and diversity of the Suisun Marsh aquatic and wildlife habitats and to assure retention of upland areas adjacent to the Marsh in uses compatible with its protection.”

View of the Suisun Marsh landscape ©Shannon Skalos

16

COMPLEX LANDSCAPE

Aerial view of Suisun Marsh showing the uplands, the marshlands, and nearby urban development

Tidal wetland & tidal sloughs

Managed wetlands

Upland transition zone

Managed wetlands

17

BCDC’S SUISUN MARSH LAW AND POLICIES

Suisun Marsh Preservation Act of 1977 (Marsh Act)

Suisun Marsh Protection Plan of 1976 (Protection Plan)

Suisun Marsh Local Protection Program (LPP)

City of Fairfield

City of Suisun City

City of Benicia

Solano County

Solano LAFCO SRCD SCMAD

(LPP components)

18

LOCAL PROTECTION PROGRAM:

REVIEW RESULTS

Native marsh plant, Grindelia stricta ©Flicker User John Rusk

19

LPP REVIEW PRODUCED FIVE MAJOR FINDINGS• Four of the seven LPP components are in conformity • The City of Benicia’s LPP component was never completed and certified• The cities of Fairfield and Suisun City have updated their General Plans and city

ordinances, but not their LPP components• All the LPP components contain dated or obsolete references that need to be updated or

deleted• The Local Protection Program lacks references to best available science on climate

change, rising sea level, emerging technologies, and several other key topics important to the preservation of the Suisun Marsh.

May 5, 2020

20

SUISUN MARSH PROTECTION PLAN:

REVIEW

A westbound Capitol Corridor train rolls through the marsh at Bahia, CA ©2015 Patrick Dirden Photography

BCDC’S SUISUN MARSH LAW AND POLICIES

21

Suisun Marsh Preservation Act of 1977 (Marsh Act)

Suisun Marsh Protection Plan of 1976 (Protection Plan)

Suisun Marsh Local Protection Program (LPP)

City of Fairfield

City of Suisun City

City of Benicia

Solano County

Solano LAFCO SRCD SCMAD

(LPP components)

22

KICK-OFF WORKSHOP FEB. 13TH

23

How do we continue to preserve and protect a functional marsh?

©Rachel D. Wigginton ©Mike Casazza

©Solano Land Trust ©Pacific Flyway Center

©Katie Smith

©Denise Colombano ©Solano Land Trust

©Katharine Pan

24

MAJOR TAKEAWAYS FROM STAKEHOLDER WORKSHOP• Ecology

• Public access-wildlife conflicts• Sea level rise and climate change• Tidal marshes and managed wetlands and

restoration• Permitting and policy interpretations

• Built Environment• Levee maintenance• Salinity control gates• Maintenance of the build environment• New technologies

• Public Access• Public Access-wildlife conflicts• Wildlife oriented recreation• Existing public access• Public access maintenance

Map showing flooding at 12” Total Water Level from BCDC’s shoreline flood explorer

May 5, 2020

©BCDC

25

MAJOR TAKEAWAYS FROM STAKEHOLDER WORKSHOP• Ecology

• Public access-wildlife conflicts• Sea level rise and climate change• Tidal marshes and managed wetlands and

restoration• Permitting and policy interpretations

• Built Environment• Levee maintenance• Salinity control gates• General maintenance • New technologies

• Public Access• Public Access-wildlife conflicts• Wildlife oriented recreation• Existing public access• Public access maintenance

View of the salinity control gates in Suisun Marsh

May 5, 2020

©California Department of Water Resources

26

MAJOR TAKEAWAYS FROM STAKEHOLDER WORKSHOP• Ecology

• Public access-wildlife conflicts• Sea level rise and climate change• Tidal marshes and managed wetlands and

restoration• Permitting and policy interpretations

• Built Environment• Levee maintenance• Salinity control gates• General maintenance• New technologies

• Public Access• Public access-wildlife conflicts• Wildlife-oriented recreation• Existing public access• Public access maintenance

Hunters in the Suisun Marsh with a managed wetland in the background

May 5, 2020

©Jacqueline Satter

27

A NEED TO CLARIFY POLICY INTERACTIONS• How does the Bay Plan interact with the

Protection Plan?• How do the Marsh Act and Protection Plan

interface with:• Delta Reform Act and the Delta Plan• Suisun Marsh Habitat Management,

Preservation, and Restoration Plan• The USFWS Recovery Plan for Tidal

Marsh Ecosystems of Northern and Central California

• Suisun Marsh Preservation Agreement• US Army Corps Regional General Permit• Others? Endangered Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse

©William Thein

May 5, 2020

WHAT COMES NEXT?

28Hunters in Suisun Marsh ©Jacqueline Satter

29

SUISUN MARSH PROTECTION PLAN REVIEW PROCESS

Initial Review(Fall/Winter 2019-

2020)Problem

IdentificationTargeted Policy

Analysis

Initiate needed Protection

Plan Amendment(s)

Summer 2020 Stakeholder

Workshop #2

Winter 2020/2021 Stakeholder

Workshop #3

February 2020 Stakeholder

Workshop #1

Topic specific working group

meetingsMay 5, 2020

30

QUESTIONS?

View of Suisun Marsh from the channel edge ©Ann Holmes

31

THANK YOU!

rachel.wigginton@bcdc.ca.gov

https://www.bcdc.ca.gov/plans/Suisun-Marsh-Policy-Review.html

May 5, 2020